Dubai retail malls use tech and retailtainment as customers turn to online shopping

Shopping malls in Dubai and the UAE are under pressure as people increasingly turn to internet shopping, and as the retail market faces oversupply. As a solution, malls turn to technology and new experiences.

According to a JLL report on the UAE real estate market in Q2, major delays are expected in the retail sector, and some of the announced projects will never come to fruition.

In response to the challenges, shopping mall operators in the UAE are limiting expansion plans and closing branches. They are also employing new strategies to get people to visit and stay longer.

The report states the total mall-based retail supply was approximately 3.8 million square metres by the end of Q2.